Case Number 11275

THE LOST ROOM

The Charge

Some doors are better left closed.

Opening Statement

Many years back, my cable provider didn't carry the SciFi Channel. Day after
day I dreamed of all the glorious programming that I was missing, including
unending reruns of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and Battlestar
Galactica. Finally after months of desperate waiting, the channel arrived on
my TV set. Much to my dismay, the anticipated reruns weren't there. Instead, it
was filled with a lot of infomercials and bad programs. Many years later, the
SciFi Channel has gotten better, but there are still way too many infomercials
and bad programs. In fact, it's pretty much a given joke that SciFi shows a lot
of crappy "original" programming and that 98% of these movies are
C-grade junk. But every once in a while they get things right. They were the
first to get the rights in America to broadcast the new Doctor Who, and
they also are showing the new Battlestar Galactica. And once in a blue
moon, the even get a movie right. The Lost Room is one of, if not the,
greatest moments for the SciFi Channel.

Facts of the Case

1961. In room 10 of the Sunshine Motel, something happens. Some magnificent
event transforms the room and everything in it. While the room no longer exists,
the contents of the room do. These Objects, about 100 of them, are infused with
powers from the mundane to the magnificent.

Over the years, individuals and groups have hunted these Objects.
Individuals want them usually for protection or power, but the groups want more.
Some of the groups revere the Objects like a religion, other groups want to
destroy the Objects, while others want to collect them all and hide them
away.

Forty-five years after that mysterious event, during a transaction to
acquire one of the Objects, the meeting goes awry and several people die.
Detective Joe Miller (Peter Krause, Six Feet Under) suddenly finds
himself caught up in the Object hunt, for he is now in possession of the Key. As
he soon discovers, the Key will open any hinged door and that door will take you
to room 10 of the Sunshine Motel, as it existed in 1961. Once at the hotel, you
can then leave the room and go anywhere you want. But there's a danger to the
Key, for when the door closes the room "resets." Anything left in the
room that is not an Object disappears. Caught between opposing forces, Joe must
dive into the strange world of the Objects to retrieve something he lost in the
room.

The Evidence

Every once and while things are just right, and The Lost Room is just
right. I really love this miniseries, and watching it again made me salivate
over the idea that this would make a stunning series. Not that it's on anyone's
agenda, but think of the perfect possibilities. You have 100 Objects, so your
show could revolve around an Object per episode, with the series finale
centering on the collection of the 100th and final Object. It would be
spectacular, as long as the flavor of this miniseries is kept intact.

What makes The Lost Room such an exquisite experience is the simple
idea of these ordinary Objects and their powers. The Key, as detailed above, is
the most magnificent of them, doing what a key should do. But it's all the other
Objects and the powers they have, that they shouldn't have, that makes you crave
what's coming next. While you want to know the mystery behind the Room, you also
want to know about the next Object. What will it be and what can it do? Without
spoiling too much, a few of the other Objects are a pen, a pencil, a comb, and a
clock. What do these Objects do? That's the fun part. One of them stops time.
Which one would you guess? If you said the clock, you would be wrong. It's the
comb that stops time for ten seconds. The clock sublimates brass. As for the
pen, it microwaves objects, and the pencil creates a penny when tapped. There's
a wristwatch with the power to hard-boil eggs...mundane to magnificent.

These wacky and immensely creative powers kept me perfectly riveted to my
screen last year. What object would be next and what would it do? They were all
so wonderfully clever, and they "all" found great use in the story.
And, really, what it all comes down to is the clever script. While you delight
in the mystery of the Objects, it's really the mystery of room 10 that tickles
your brain. What is going on with this room? What happened there, and why did it
create the Objects? It's a fantastic mystery that is slowly, carefully, and
ingeniously divulged over this six-part series. It's meticulous pace, craftfully
solving the puzzle, is a refreshing and rare delight.

Also of note are the characters themselves. Joe Miller is your typical
standup police officer, and he's about the most normal of the lot. Other people
you meet have obsessed over the Objects for too long and are a bit off center.
They include Jennifer (Julianna Margulies, Ghost Ship), Karl Kreutzfeld
(Kevin Pollak, The Usual Suspects, Wally (bus ticket guy), Stritze (comb
guy), and the Weasel (pen guy). Their quirks help propel the exposition moments
along nicely.

Put this together and you have a miniseries that is wildly creative, unique,
and a fresh experience.

As great as the miniseries is, the DVD has its flaws, starting with the
video transfer. With its 1.78:1 anamorphic treatment, the video, at least during
the first few hours, is filled with artifacting. In fact, I don't recall ever
seeing so much artifacting in anything else. It pops off for a second or so each
time, it's noticeable, and it's not acceptable. If it weren't for that, this
would be a solid TV to DVD transfer with rich colors, solid blacks, and good
detail. The audio is a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix that is mostly front loaded with
little use of the surrounds. Dialogue is clean and understandable. The last and
most grievous oversight on the DVD is the lack of bonus materials. All you get
is one brief featurette, "Inside The Lost Room" (18 minutes),
quickly giving a brief overview of the series, actors, and some of the Objects.
For such a creative story, where are the commentaries, details on the Objects,
or other stuff on the mythology? This miniseries could have easily yielded a
couple hours of bonus material, not 18 minutes.

The Rebuttal Witnesses

As much as I loved this series, it is far from perfect. Perhaps my greatest
complaint comes from the casting of Julianna Margulies. I'm not sure if I didn't
like her character or her interpretation of it, but anytime she was on the
screen, I wanted her gone. Her role is necessary to move the plot forward on
occasion, so her acting was lacking. She claims she was excited to join the
project, but it seems she didn't fully embrace the role.

I could nitpick a great many other things (and perhaps you will), but my
only other mention would be the ending. You get this delicious buildup, tons of
mystery and wonder, and yet the ending lets you down a little bit. Something is
missing in the resolution, which I can't discuss for fear of spoiling things. My
second viewing didn't feel as "empty," but I was hoping for something
different then what I got. It doesn't ruin the experience; it just makes you a
bit disappointed. It's is different, a semi-logical place to end up, but not
what you wanted.

Closing Statement

The Lost Room is a ton of fun to watch. Seeing the obtuse logic play
out, seeing the tantalizing possibilities of the Objects, and stepping into room
10 is a rewarding viewing experience. For the SciFi Channel, The Lost
Room is a perfectly prepared filet mignon. If served up anywhere else, it
would still be one delicious New York Strip. And though the series can be
nitpicked, and though the DVD has its weaknesses, I still give this miniseries a
huge recommendation. Add this one to your collection.

The Verdict

The Lost Room is hereby found not guilty of opening a tear in
reality.